Determining IDP Trade Values Simplified

Most know the trade values of offensive players, but what about when IDP is involved? The “IDP Tipster” breaks these values down for you and makes your IDP lives easier!

THE TRADE VALUE SITUATION

Offensive players have always been the base of any fantasy league even if it involves a league including IDP players. We all have a general idea how to value different tiers of players when it comes to trading. However, there is a standard in offensive players between the different tiers we use to determine the values.

This standard actually helps in determining a leagues IDP values. Here we cover the easiest methods in doing so. Just like offensive players, IDP players have varying values. Simplistically, the values are one IDP player versus another IDP player, a rookie pick versus an IDP player and the offensive player versus the IDP player.

We are going to cover all three even if rookie pick values can vary more depending on what the owners involved feel the picks are actually worth. Knowing this variable between each pick values versus players exists. Keep in mind we are going to offer a suggested base to start with, and then it’s entirely up to the individuals to mediate.

There are owners who love picks and rookies and owners who do not value them nearly as much. Using our base can be a starting point and possibly something to point out in negotiations. Occasionally, we come across another owner who values things equally. Realistically though, how often does that happen? Not often enough!

How to Determine IDP Players Vs. Offensive Player

Basically, two easy ways to help determine IDP versus Offensive Players exist. We will cover dynasty leagues first. Every dynasty league, unless it is a startup, has an end of the year rankings from the previous season. Simply find those end of the season rankings, pull them up and examine where players fell in the rankings for the league.

To do this accurately we must, of course, pull up all the players in the league. Having both the IDP and Offensive players in one, overall ranking is easier than going back and forth.

Those rankings should be set by the system default of what the players in the league scored the previous year and sorted by highest fantasy points. Doing it this way is less work and faster. The prior year rankings should look something like the example below. You will notice I have used a portion of the rankings to minimize the chart for the article. However, in general this should be what you are looking at on any site.

The example is of what I call my flagship league’s 2017 end of the year rankings. In my opinion, the scoring settings for this IDP league are above the standard. The main difference is that instead of a tackle being worth say, 1.5 and the assists worth 0.5 points each, they are set equally. Yep, a tackle and an assist are both worth say, 1.5 points each..

This is a setting I highly suggest to bring IDP players into a more relevant factor and balance the league. I find that it makes IDP players more enjoyable to use too. I included this leagues IDP scoring format in the far left column as an example to give a general idea of bringing IDP up to this level.

My Favorite Of All Time Score Setting

Now in the rankings chart above, locate LB Deion Jones. Here is the really simple part! Whatever value you put on the offensive players around him are basically the same value that the IDP player is worth.

In this scoring format, we would have to assume Deion Jones is at least worth an upper tiered offensive player. Again, this is a base. The true value will be decided by the individuals that are involved in the trade talks.

Of course, keep in mind that just like offensive players, some defensive players overachieve some seasons. They end up ranked higher or vice versa and may be ranked lower due to whatever circumstance might have unfolded thru the season.

If you are unsure of a player’s status in fantasy football land, then consult an IDP ranking you trust to see if the possible “said” player under or over-performed.

For example, Jones is ranked #41 while Joe Schobert (#27) and Blake Martinez(#29) are ranked higher. By taking a quick look at a trusted site’s dynasty IDP rankings for the coming season you will more than likely find Jones ranked higher because he is a slightly more proven player.

In a standard size league, I’d gladly give an offensive player located around or even slightly above Deion Jones for Jones knowing his future is solid at that value. Of course this is always based on league scoring.

As for Scholbert and Martinez, I’d drop their value down one tier below a known offensive player’s value. After only one season of producing at a high level, they hold a little risk going into 2018 .

All of this is why I suggest finding an IDP dynasty ranking you trust if you’re not 100% sure on who is who in the IDP format. And of course, this same method works on all IDP positions.

Now, let us approach this as a startup league for our second method. In this situation your site may not offer last seasons end of the year rankings with the league’s scoring format.

I would like to mention here, if the commish has fooled with the scoring settings after a league’s draft, ask for your cash back or just leave! That is not a good sign.

Remember, in this situation you do not have prior season information to look upon. You can however, simply look at the league’s upcoming season’s projections. Do this the same way as the end of the season rankings and with all the league’s players listed at one time.

I have played on many different sites over the years and can’t say I remember one that at least wouldn’t offer projections, but over the last few years I’ve also narrowed down my personal league(s) and I’m not 100% sure on all of them. But after a league has set it’s scoring format then projections should reflect those settings. So simply do the same as the first method, look at the players surrounding the IDP player(s) in projections. It should still be a solid base to determine trade values in basically the same way. And in both situations where you have an end of the season and a projected ranking they can nicely be compared to gauge values even more.

How To Determine An IDP Vs. Current Year Draft Pick

This can be done pretty well the same way as the above. The difference to me personally here: I suggest that when you find the players range, among the surrounding players, that you mentally subtract half the value with the IDP player. The reason why we should look at it this way, is the market margin leans heavily on offensive players over defensive players. This is not my doing, it is what the overall consensus that seems to be dictated in general by the fantasy football world.

I don’t mean a player worth a first is knocked down to a third either. We should take it by tier. In other words, if you’re willing to trade or willing to trade for an offensive player worth a first and the league’s values have a top-tier player at two first rounds, then a top tiered linebacker would really only net you a single first or perhaps a single first and another lower pick.

Example: I’m not going to use Gronk who is right next to Jones because we all know Gronk demands more in the real fantasy football world. But let’s use SFO RB Carlos Hyde as a better example, he is located right above both in that rankings. And again, values here are only an example.

Hyde = 1st rounder in the upper half of round.

Jones = 1st round in lower half of the round down to the top couple of picks in the 2nd.

I don’t personally agree here with how the fantasy world values offensive players over the defensive player, but it is what it is and if we are to manage to deal IDPs in trades involving picks, it is the overall consensus. Of course, it doesn’t mean you have to start lower. Never hurts to go high-end at first in any trade negotiations. But I’ve never seen a league that a defensive player is ranked in the top ten in end of the season rankings either. Which would mean the score settings were tweaked, even more, to make that happen.

So if there is one out there, the same method as I’ve mentioned above works in that case or any case. Let the rankings and/or the projections determine what you should ask for on your IDP players values. If the other trade party wants to disagree then point out the rankings and projections. Either way it goes, we have a base value for any IDP player in any league to determine where we start in any trade conversations.

Thanks again for reading, I hope you found some helpful information to gain the edge in your IDP leagues heading into 2018. As always I can be found on here at The IDP Guys and on twitter@HBogart27.

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It is all about the IDP and to bring those interested the tools and content to win now.
If you ever need a "follow-up" on anything I've written or would like to ask a general question feel free to contact me on Twitter @HBogart27. I'll also reply by email at gmtvandyke@gmail.com if in the title the words "IDP Tipster" are included. As always thank you for supporting my IDP fetish by reading my articles.
Additional: News Desk Correspondent for FantasyPros @nfl_alerts Experience: give or take 20 yrs Proudest Accomplishment As IDP Guy: Developing "one of a kind and original" in-season "Easy Charts" for IDP start/sit advice by using multiple resources and trade secrets to win now.
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